<p class="Body"><strong>An alpha diversity survey of Heterostigmatic mites (Trombidiformes, Prostigmata) phoretic on scarabaeoid beetles in Hyrcani forest, northern Iran</strong></p>

Abstract

Complicated ecological interactions among numerous species could drive ecosystems towards more stability. Scarabaeoid beetles render a profound contribution to ecological processes through establishing symbiotic relationships with a variety of fungivorous mites. Such interactions with mites play important roles in forest conservation and biodiversity. In this study, we aimed to peruse the scarabaeoid-mite associations by alpha diversity tools. We investigated species diversity, richness and host range of heterostigmatic mites (Trombidiformes: Prostigmata) associated with scarabaeoid beetles. A total of 1113 individual mites belonging to 20 species were recorded from 870 adult individuals of Scarabaeidae (six species), 540 Lucanidae (two species) and 360 Geotrupidae (one species). Attachment site of the mites on the hosts were examined and discussed; that indicated they have most and least safety status on Lucanidae and Scarabaeidae, respectively. Spatulaphorus gorganica (Pygmephoridae) was the most frequent mite species, and Premicrodispus spinosus, P. brevisetus and Paramicrodispus scarabidophilus (Microdispidae) relatively common, whereas the other mites occurred occasionally. The host family Scarabaeidae showed to be more diverse than two other families, associated with highest number of mite species. The results of phoresy and host-range of heterostigmatic mites have been discussed.

An update on the knowledge about scutacarid mites as phoronts and inquilines

“…In the family Scarabaeidae, three new genera have been reported as a new host for scutacarids: the genus Adoretus for Heterodispus turkmenistaniensis, the genus Hybalus for Pygmodispus odontotarsus Sevastianov, 1975 (Khaustov and Frolov 2018), and the genus Oryctes for Scutacarus longitarsus (Berlese, 1905) (Rahiminejad et al 2020a(Rahiminejad et al , 2023.…”

“…Imparipes (Sporichneuthes) intermedius Paoli, 1911, a species until now only known from soil and litter, has now also been encountered on different scarab beetles (Rahiminejad et al 2020a) Furthermore, six new beetle families have been identified as hosts for Scutacaridae: Cerambycidae, Dryopidae, Elateridae, Geotrupidae, Lucanidae and Meloidae (see Annex III).…”

“…In Geotrupidae, Geotrupes spiniger was determined as host for Scutacarus longitarsus by Rahiminejad et al (2020a). This species builds brood chambers that are filled with dung (Klemperer 1979), which most likely facilitates the growth of fungi and thus allows scutacarids to thrive there.…”

New records of heterostigmatic mites (Acari: Heterostimatina) from dry rice cultivation of Gorgan, northern Iran

“…Golestan province, compared to the other regions of Iran, have had a conspicuous role introducing new records and species of Heterostigmatina. Besides more than 40 new records for Iranian heterostigmatic mite fauna, three genera and 20 species have been described from Golestan province, so far (Rahiminejad et al, 2020a(Rahiminejad et al, , 2020bRahiminejad & Hajiqanbar, 2020;Seyedein et al, 2020Seyedein et al, , 2021. It is recommendable that further research on these mites in various ecosystems gives a better understanding of various aspect of their life.…”

Two New Phoretic Species of Heterostigmatic Mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Neopygmephoridae and Scutacaridae) on Australian Hydrophilid Beetles (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae)

“…Many species are free-living, and sometimes hitchhike on insects to new environments, or reside in nests of social insects [ 2 ]. Some of them are highly host-specific and they sometimes exhibit special attachment site preferences on the hosts’ body, such as beneath the abdomen or thorax, between leg coxae, on cervix or wings, or under elytral spaces [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Females in phoretic species have generally evolved several morphological adaptations, such as a robust pair of legs I with consolidated tibiotarsi I associated with enlarged claws, which help them to firmly attach to their hosts during phoretic dispersal [ 1 , 6 ].…”